ELP Fanfare For The Common Man – Emerson Lake and Palmer

Here’s a little vintage over-the-top progitude, Emerson Lake and Palmer doing a live version of their version of Fanfare For The Common Man at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

Here’s another take on it – a television performance from 1978:

By popular demand (in the comments), here’s the performance from Tollwood Festival, München, Germany, 24th June 1997:

Lots of discussion in the comments about what ELP performanced live, what was backing track and what was ‘mimed’. If you’ve got additional info or other thoughts on this, leave a comment!

via igorravasi

18 thoughts on “ELP Fanfare For The Common Man – Emerson Lake and Palmer

      1. As glorious as i want ELP to be, miming to a track on television has been around as long as the casette. I believe this one is canned.

  1. This is the mimed version…. which is why you don’t see the Tympani always being hit…

    For a real live version.. see the Tollwood Festival version on Youtube…

  2. This tour was suppose to have a traveling orchestra, but ticket sales weren’t high enough, even though you see empty seats in the video, the attendance wasn’t that bad (this must have been a practice run). They used canned audio for the trumpets in the intro and tympani near the end. It was amazing to see just 3 musicians pull off what was suppose to have a classical orchestra backing them up.

    1. It’s all being performed to a backing track.. Watch for cymbal hits throughout the video, that don’t sound and Keith fluffing notes that sound fine on the audio…. As I said, for a real live performance, see the Tollwood Festival version.. that uses absolutely no canned audio.. One of the few times (that’s available on video) that ELP truly did perform it completely live.

    2. This video was recorded during winter (minus 20 Celcius!). and the staduim was empty.
      Rehersals for that tour were held in Montreal that winter
      The show was very succesfull.
      73 898 people were there a few months later that warm summer night, 29 august 1977.

    1. Well it’s Aaron Copland.
      Well known composer.
      The work has been done by countless orchestras.
      The synths add some edge tho. Synth bass makes it.
      Great opening and main groove..
      Just a bit too much of Keith’s noodling in the solo.

  3. ELP represent everything that was wrong with mainstream rock at the time, according to some. And you can draw a pretty straight line from Keith Emerson to punk. But I never realized they were also performance charlatans as well. For shame. And I like prog, especially Yes but a little ELP too. This is disappointing.

    1. Tribix while your opiniin is respected what’s wrong in it is : It was “suggested” by the label distributers and management to do a video. ELP trying to stay ahead of the times agreed. If it was attempt to record live in this setting it would not be pretty either in performance and technical logistics. Best option is to play to track. It by no means degrades their talent or authenticity and simply presented a great group in a unique setting. You obviously are not an honest fan of the group

    1. Well. Yeah. So what. Except prog is all about superior musicianship. It’s the main selling point. Any fool can go out and mime to a tape. Air guitar? WTF.

  4. As far as I can see the track was recorded mostly on 2-track in the studio. So presumably the single version is that recording. The intro horns and timpani must have been added to the 2 track session I guess. It would have been practically impossible even for Carl Palmer to play the timpani and a drum fill at the same time!
    I have just listened to it on YouTube and it is as fresh as the day it was made.
    So I guess they were just having a blast at the Montreal Olympic stadium in this video to showcase the single. They probably played it anyway but the soundtrack must surely be the studio single.
    Anyway there are plenty of live versions to watch on YouTube.

  5. Keyboard abuse 1992 including J S Bach’s Toccata:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeFjADELCwQ
    ELP – Fanfare For The Common Man/Finale (Live)
    Emerson reminds me of Joe Zawinul in that hat.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMuePyV1nr8
    Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Fanfare For The Common Man – Live In Montreal, 1977
    This one actually has the Yamaha GX-1 used onstage.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJYo_MKUdqc
    Legs & Co – Fanfare For The Common Man – Emerson Lake & Palmer (25th Dec 1977)
    Top of the Pops.

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